Jailed but thriving: Pakistan’s prison artists earn big selling art
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Karachi: The four walls of the prison do not bar their imagination from taking fight.
Imamates of Karachi's colonial-era prison are practicing art to find new meaning of life and have found new livelihood as well, according to news agency AFP.
The convicted murders and kidnappers have adorned the prison walls with murals depicting rural Pakistani life, the report said.
The prison authorities testify that a rehabilitation art and music programme has begun to pay off with inmates earning thousands of dollars for their art.
The exhibitions curated by the local arts council saw the works by prisoners finding buyers.
Mohammad Ijaz, one of the Karachi Central Jail, said ‘Before I was jailed, it was another life with no responsibility and immaturity.’
Mohammad Ijaz added that he has found ‘true meaning of life’ after being jailed, thus learning that ‘life is full of colours and the colours themselves speak’.
Ijaz, who is half way through a 25-year sentence, did not give details about the conviction.
His art works on horses earned him so much money that he could fund his mother’s pilgrimage to Mecca and sister’s wedding.
The 42-year-old, who now teaches others, said his family couldn’t initially believe his transformation into an artist.
‘When they saw us in the exhibition, they were happy,’ he was quoted as saying.
The art programme, launched in 2007, was aimed at reforming inmates serving long term and those on death row.
The programme also teaches Arabic, English or Chinese and embroidery and beadwork, according to the report.
Senior prison official Ammad Chandio reportedly said that the programme ‘helps them reflect upon their past, what crime, what sin or what violation of law they had committed.’
The art being produced inside the jail are properties of the inmates and the proceeds that come from sales go to them, according to the report.
